Portable writing-desk.



' PATENTED JUNE 6, 1905.

E. A. SIMMONS. PORTABLE WRITING DESK. APPLIQATION FILED AUG. 12, 1904.

i No. 791,506.

UNITED STATES Patented .Iune 6, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

EMILE A. SIMMONS, OF PONTIAC, ILLINOIS.

PORTABLE WRITING-DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,506, dated June 6,1905.

Application filed August 12, 1904:. Serial No. 220,521.

specification.

This invention relates to portable writingdesks designed especially forthe use of sec-.

retaries of societies, census agents, assessors, tax-collectors, and thelike, and has for its objects to produce a simple inexpensive device ofthis character which may be folded into neat compact form fortransportation and one having various compartments for the reception ofrecord-books, blanks, receipts, and

money, and one in which the various compartments andthe desk may bereadily locked in closed condition by a single lock.

To these ends the invention comprises the novelfeatures of constructionand combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of thedevice closed. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same open. Fig. 8 is across-sectional view of the device closed.

.Fig. 4c'is a detail perspective view of a foldable cash-box to becarriedwithin the desk.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the body of the desk, composedof a primary section 2 and a secondary section 3, pivoted or hinged, asat 4, to and adapted to fold upon the primary section 2, the meetingfaces of said sections being coincidentally inclined and adapted whenthe parts are unfolded to present a continuous inclined writing-surface5, as illustrated in Fig. 2. I

. The section 2 has therein a compartment 6, normally closed by a cover7 and designed for the reception of a record-book, while the section 3is provided with a pair of sliding drawers 8, adapted to open outwardfrom its outer longitudinal edge and to receive blanks, &c., there beingpivoted to the outer longitudinal edge of the section 2 aflap or closure9, adapted when the sections of the desk are in folded position to closeover the free end of the section 3, in which the drawers 8 are located,

and to be locked to the section 3 by means of a lock 11, whereby thesections of the desk and the drawers 8 are maintained securely in lockedposition. The flap 9 is provided with a pair of straps 12 for furthersecuring the flap in closed position and with a hand-strap or bail 18,by which the case may be conveniently carried.

A drawer 1 1 is mounted within the primary section 2 and arranged to bedrawn outwardly through one end of said section, and another drawer 15is mounted within said section and arranged to be drawn outwardlythrough the opposite end of said section, both of these drawers beingoverlapped and locked by the flap 9 when the desk is closed. It willhere be noted that each of the drawers 8, 14:, and 15, as well as themain sections 2 and 3 of the desk, are locked by the single flap 9 andthe lock 11, wherefore it is not necessary to pro- 'vide individuallocks and keys for the respective drawers.

In Fig. 4: there has been shown a foldable cash-box 16, designed to becarried in either of the drawers 8, preferably the one at the right-handsideof the desk, which is the most convenient position when the deviceis in use.

It is to be particularly noted that in my improved device acomparatively large writing-surface is presented when the parts of thecase are unfolded and that access may be readily had to any of thedrawers or receptacles without disturbing books or papers arranged uponthe writing-surface 5 and, furthermore, that when in foldedposition theflap 9 performs the double function of securing the desk-sections anddrawers in closed position.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I produce a comparatively simpleinexpensive device admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends inview, it being understood that minor changes in the details herein setforth may be resorted. to without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

- Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A foldabledesk comprising apair of hollow desk-sections constituting receptaclesand having a hinged connection and capable of being folded together andalso of being opened out into mutual alinement, one of the sectionshaving an opening in its peripheral edge, a

having a hinged connection and capable of being folded together and alsoof being opened out into'mutual alinernent, one of the sections havingan opening inthe peripheral edge thereof, a drawer contained in saidsection and capable of being drawn out through theopeningtherein, and aclosure-flap hinged to the free edge of the other section and capable ofoverlapping the opening in the first section when the two sections arefolded together to retain the drawer within the desk, and means tosecure the flap when closed 3. A device of the class describedcomprising a primary section. provided with a compartment, a cover forsaid compartment, a secondary section. pivotally connected with andadapted to fold upon the primary section, a drawer arranged in thesecondary section and adapted to open outward from the outerlongitudinal side edge thereof, and a movable flap carried by thecorresponding edge of the other section and adapted to close over theadjacent edges of the sections for maintaining said sections and drawerin closed position.

4. A foldable desk comprisingapair ofdesksections having a hingedconnection and capable of being folded together and also of being openedout into mutual alinement, a flap havinga marginal flange to embrace thefree sides of the desk-sections when closed, a lock for the flap, and adrawer mounted to slide outwardly through one end of one of the sectionsand overlapped by the flange of the flap and (ljOCllGZd thereby in thelocked condition of the es z.

5. A foldable desk comprising a pair of desksections having a hingedconnection and capable of being folded together and also of being openedoutwardly into mutual alinement, a drawer mounted to slide outwardlythrough the free side of. one of the sections, other drawers mounted toslide outwardly through the respective ends of the other desk-section, aclosure-flap hinged to the free side of one of the desk-sections andprovided with a marginal flange to embrace the desk-sections in thelocked condition thereof and also overlap the drawers in the ends of thedesk, and a lock for the flap.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EMILE A. SIMMONS.

Witnesses:

l. M. MITCHELL, MAUD HOOVER.

